ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · squash · swing · file · plane · ruler · hide · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. squash — to crush
  3. swing — in golf
  4. file — a document
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. squash — the sport
  8. file — a line of people
  9. face — to confront
  10. file — a tool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. swing — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com